Beyond Friendship
by Blond Gamer Girl
Summary: Takes place right after the summer season finale. Can Billy and Jane risk losing their friendship to gain something more?
1. Cinderella Versus Snow White

Any call at two in the morning means trouble. Billy Nutter had those calls before and they were usually from his brother who needed his help after some misbegotten plan failed. However, it wasn't the call he expected. When he answered his cell phone, he expected to hear Jane in tears about being found out by Grey. The ruse blew up earlier that night at the play and Jane vanished in tears. Ben and he checked everywhere only to be interrupted by Zoe.

The girl with the long straight dark which wasn't as dark as Jane's hair, didn't have Jane's curls and whose eyes didn't have that sparkle like Jane's and who just didn't remind him of Snow White like Jane did glared at him the moment he decided to run after Jane. "It's always her isn't it?"

"No, it's not."

"Hah! That movie night in the park, you spent it with me because Jane wasn't there. All those times in school and just everything, I'm a substitute for her aren't I?"

"It's not like that," he countered.

"Sinking boat, which one would you rescue, Jane or me?"

_Jane! Jane! Jane!_ "That's not a fair question."

"We both know the answer. If you go after her, it's over."

Billy knew what he had to do. Every fiber of his being needed to be there for Jane. If she needed help, if she needed rescuing, if she needed a friend or if she just needed, he was the one who provided and wouldn't have it any other way. Zoe's ultimatum hurt but Jane needed him. "I'm sorry Zoe."

* * *

Ben instructed him to wait at their house in case Jane showed up. When that call came early in the morning, Billy expected to hear Ben say that he found her and to wait at home because Jane needed him to be there but that wasn't the call he got. "Billy," Ben said his voice cracking from tears. "I've been on the phone with Grey. A young woman with dark hair was found…." Ben choked back tears. "It wasn't a good part of town. Some gang members robbed her and they…that's my sister….how could they do that…oh God!"

Billy felt the bile rise in his throat. "It's not her!"

"Jane's business card was in her pocket. Her purse and everything had been stolen. I'm at the school now. I'm heading into the city. They want me to identify her."

"Pick me up," he requested.

"Yeah," Ben replied.

Billy sank back against the wall and sobbed. The moment Ben's SUV pulled into the drive way, he ran out and hopped in the car.

Ben was in a state but looking at Billy, he felt the kid suffered worse. Tremors racked the pale broken Romeo. "I should have been with her."

"You couldn't have done anything. You might have been killed too."

"It doesn't matter. I wouldn't let them hurt her. Never let anyone hurt my Janey."

* * *

At the morgue, the attendant looked at them sullenly. Grey waited alongside. Even the statuesque rather cool older woman exuded sadness. "I thought you should see her first."

"I'll go." Ben steeled himself for the task he dreaded. "You stay."

Barely keeping it together with glassy tear filled eyes, Billy started to head towards the entrance to see the body. "No, I won't leave her alone. I won't let her down again."

"Let me go in first," Ben replied.

"Will you wait here with me?" Grey let down her air of aloofness just this once to console the teenager whose heart had shattered.

Billy nodded. Ben went in. Relief flooded him when he saw that it wasn't his sister. "It's not her," he told the mortician." Quickly, he went to the waiting area. "It's not her."

* * *

After Grey identified the body as some visiting designer, Ben took Billy home hoping to find Jane waiting for them. Instead his phone rang. He answered to find that it was his mother. "Ben, it's me Kate. Jane called me in tears. I had her get a ticket and fly out here."

"What!"

"Just trust me on this," Kate added.

"Jane's in Colorado with our mother," he whispered to Billy.

"She had a complete melt down. I think she wanted to run away or something so I had her fly here. I know you probably don't approve but its late."

Ben conceded that right now no one was in their right mind. "I know. Thank you for calling. I think we should discuss this tomorrow."

"Definitely and I'll get more details," Kate replied.

"We need to go to Colorado and get her."

"Billy calm down. We all need some sleep. We'll discuss it in the morning."

Early the next afternoon, Ben relayed the information he received. "Jane had a minor meltdown. Kate wants to keep her in Colorado for a couple of weeks. After everything Jane's been through, I'm not a fan of the idea but I think its best for Jane."

* * *

Two weeks later Ben received news that should have relieved most minor league baseball players but not him and certainly not the teenage punk pacing in his living room. "Jane has decided to stay in Colorado."

"WHAT! NO! You can't allow that."

"I don't like it either but I can't force her back."

"I'm not letting that happen. " Billy grabbed the keys to the beast.

"Wait," Ben called.

"You're not talking me out of this."

"The beast won't make it."

"I'll find a way." Billy grabbed his coat.

"I'm saying take my car. Pack a suitcase and let me get you some travelling funds." Ben knew that the only person who could convince Jane to come back was Billy.

* * *

After a couple of days of thinking and driving, Billy realized that Zoe had been right all along. She had been a replacement for Jane. He needed Jane. He didn't care that he arrived at Kate and Dakota's ranch late. All that mattered was Jane.

Billy pounded on the door. Inside, the distinctive noise of a Mossberg being loaded along with various noises worried him. "It's Billy Nutter." Kate opened the door while Dakota stood in the background. "Come in," she greeted.

Billy entered the house only to be hugged. "Where's Jane?"

"She's asleep."

"I'll go get her."

"No," Dakota stated. "You'll wait until morning."

Dakota and the Mossberg in the corner convinced Billy that a good night's sleep on the couch would be best.

* * *

The next morning Billy awoke early awaiting the girl he loved. His Snow White descended the stairs in skimpy pj's that he liked but his eyes immediately strayed to the meathead farm boy who had his arm around her shoulders ambling down the stairs next to her. Then he saw the open bedroom door that they both emerged from.

"Billy!" Jane flew into his arms and then immediately backed away. "What are you doing here?"

"Should be obvious Janey," he muttered. It wouldn't be though. Would she ever understand how much he loved her?

"I'm Chet." The meat head extended his hand which Billy reluctantly shook.

* * *

During breakfast, Billy couldn't hardly eat a thing or pay much attention to the conversation around him. Chet was Dakota's son. Apparently, it was love at first sight between Chet and Jane.

"Jane's the first girl Chet's shown any interest in. We're going to keep her around. There's no convincing her to go back to the city, not if Chet can help it, right?"

"You bet Daddy," Chet replied pulling a nervous looking Jane closer.

* * *

Later that day, Billy found Chet in the barn moving bales of hay. "Do you love Jane?"

Chet put the hay down and laughed. "No, I just like to fuck her."

Billy saw red and swung hard. "Jane deserves better." Despite landing a couple good surprise punches which sent Chet reeling, he didn't go down instead he laughed harder.

"Upset that you didn't pop that cherry," he countered. Chet glanced down at Billy's fists which he balled tighter. "I'll give you that one but if you try to fight me, you're gonna lose."

Chet had fifty pounds of muscle on him but it didn't matter to Billy. "This is for Jane."

* * *

Please R&R. Thanks.


	2. Crash

Jane Quimby's world started to crumble the moment Eli said he slept with India. However, the moment he started ranting about her mysterious best friend and maybe she should be with that guy because he was the only one who knew the real Jane Quimby, a realization hit her: she loved Billy. All along she did but she was too bedazzled by her glamorous fashion world and older guys chasing after her and the jock finally liking her to notice. Now that she realized she loved him, she decided to confess her love to Billy.

At the play as she listened to Billy's confession about his sleeping with Zoe and how close they were getting, her heart sank even further. As she watched him say "it's you" to Zoe, her heart shattered. Then Grey found out her high school identity. Everything crumbled down around her so she ran, endlessly until her mom called. Jane couldn't even remember what she said to Kate but she swore she said everything. Jane felt she couldn't go back but where could she go. Somehow she managed to get a flight to Denver.

* * *

At the airport, her mom greeted her. Kate sat with her in the back seat while Dakota drove them to their ranch house. Late into the night her mom sat with her giving her hot tea and just listened. After Jane talked herself hoarse, she fell asleep only to awaken in a guest bedroom. For the next couple of days, she didn't care to talk because she had nothing to say.

Kate on the other hand had listened and digested all she heard. Since she couldn't make up for all these years of lost parenting, she decided that maybe she could mend Jane's shattered world to at least do one thing for Jane, give her refuge.

* * *

A couple days after her arrival, Jane wandered around the ranch to the field where several horses grazed. She never saw a horse up close and personal. Hesitantly, she extended her hand and a russet colored mare approached her. Jane stared into the big brown eyes as she petted the horse. "You are softer than velvet."

"Would you like to ride?"

Jane gazed at the tall man only a few years older than her but good looking and strapping would be the best way to describe his build. This was Chet, Dakota's son. "I've never ridden before."

"Lady is gentle. She's a good one to start on."

"OK," she replied. After only a couple hours, Jane felt comfortable enough for a gallop.

"Glad to see you doing a little better," Chet stated as they unsaddled Lady. "You should ride some tomorrow."

* * *

The next day Jane woke up early and made her way to the where Chet helped her saddle up. Chet packed a lunch so they could ride further away. "So how long do you plan to stay?"

"I don't know. I just can't go back."

"I heard you're quite the actress."

"I guess my mom told you what happened."

"Bits and pieces," he replied.

"I don't know what to do."

"I think I've been where you are. If it helps, you can tell me what happened. Who knows maybe I can give you some impartial advice."

Maybe it was being with a stranger who had no vested interest in what she did or just being away from everyone made Jane confess fully. Chet listened patiently for hours. "I don't even understand this. Why couldn't I figure this out?"

"You've been closer than siblings would be from a very young age. When you're that young and even when you're older, you're not capable of relationship love but only very deep sibling or friendship love. When you get older and the hormones start firing off, you start noticing others and it's all exciting like trying new bubble gum flavors and you just want to keep trying them because you have your normal flavor that you can always come back to. After trying some, you find that you've had your favorite flavor all along."

"Exactly," she replied. He hit it bang on. "You sound like you've been there."

"I have. Now you're afraid to profess your love for him because if he doesn't love you the way you do him, you'll lose him for good."

"Yes," she answered. "You said you've been through this. Who is she?"

Chet ran his fingers through the grass for a little while. "Since you confided in me, I guess my secret's safe with you. His name's Tommy."

"Oh," she replied. "Your secret's safe with me. I take it your father doesn't know."

"Nope and Tommy's father is the local minister. He and I agreed to wait until after he graduates from college. It's just since I haven't brought a girl around in a long time and neither has he, we're having a difficult time keeping the masquerade."

"Why don't you ask one of the girls here to be your cover?"

"This is a very small community. None of them would keep my secret and my father is getting suspicious. In a couple days, we're getting together in the city but I'm beginning to wonder if that'll happen."

"I'll cover for you."

* * *

And so the ruse began. That night she joined Chet in his room where they discussed their respective relationships until they fell asleep. Dakota beamed with pride when they both stumbled out of Chet's room while Kate looked on in horror. "After what you've been through, you can't just ….I mean you two just met."

"Love at first sight Mom," Jane fibbed.

That night they talked again and Chet started banging the headboard against the wall. "Chet, cut it out."

"No," he replied laughing. "You should know that I have a very twisted sense of humor."

"Fine, then it shouldn't sound like you're the only one having fun." Then she started the "Oh baby," thing.

* * *

Two weeks later, Jane's bravery faded. "Chet, I've decided not to go back. Billy's all into Zoe. I just can't be around them. I hurts too much."

"You need to confess."

"I can't. It's just too hard."

"Don't give me that. I had to confess to another guy who I wasn't even sure was gay."

"Alright, you have a point." Then they started their headboard banging ruse before going to sleep.

* * *

When Jane ambled down the stairs the next morning, she saw Billy. All during breakfast, she didn't know what to say to him. Chet hammed it up. Later, as she approached the stable, she heard even more and a fight ready to happen. "Billy NO!" She ran in and stood between the two of them. "That's just Chet's very twisted sense of humor."

Chet laughed aloud at the two idiots before him. That boy drove hundreds of miles and was ready to take a beating to defend her honor. He had no doubt about their true feelings for each other. They just needed more prompting and he had a plan to do it. After all, Jane made things much easier with his father because of the ruse. "You're right darlin'." He hugged her tightly. "Tonight, I'm making it up to you." Then he turned to Billy. "No hard feelings?"

Billy just glared and stormed off.

* * *

Please R&R. Thanks.


End file.
